Review: Naming the Spirit

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Cover image of "Naming the Spirit" by W. David O. Taylor and Daniel Train, eds.

Naming the Spirit

Naming the Spirit, W. David O. Taylor and Daniel Train, eds. IVP Academic (ISBN: 9781514013489) 2025.

Summary: An essay collection considering the different names for the Holy Spirit, using works of art to deepen our understanding.

Many of us wrestle to understand the person and work of the Holy Spirit. While scripture is always our ultimate authority, artistic works often illuminate the narratives of scripture. They depict in image and sound the character and work of God in the world. This book focuses in on the Holy Spirit, looking at names and aspects of the work of the Spirit from both theological and artistic perspectives. The essays are authored by both theologians and artists, some co-written.

Steve Guthrie open the collection considering the Greek term for Spirit, pneuma, which can mean “wind” or “breath.” He reflects on the poetic “fecundity” of this term. It speaks to God’s life-giving breath, his word-bearing breath, and the dynamic wind of God. Then Jonathan A. Anderson uses portrayals of Pentecost in early church art. Thus, he considers the spaciality of “descent,” the visual form of this outpouring in tongues and fire, the persons on whom the Spirit is poured,- and from where this outpouring occurs. Christina Carnes Ananias explores how Olafur Eliasson’s Beauty illustrates Basil’s contention that light and the image it illuminates cannot be separated.

Several collaborative essays follow. Erin Shaw and Taylor Worley reflect on the shalom of the Spirit. Shaw’s art is influenced by Native American ideas and worldview. She draws on the notion of kincentricity as an expression of what shalom means–the interdependency of all things flourishing in relationships of reciprocity. From discs of various sizes to wound balls of string, she expresses this idea. Then Devon Abts and Joelle Hathaway return to the idea of pneuma, connecting our breath and the breath of the Spirit. They do so through an analysis of Ross Gay’s “A Small Needful Fact,” written upon the death of Eric Garner whose last cry was “I can’t breathe.”

Finally, Phil Allen Jr. and Justin Ariel Bailey move from breath to breadth. They consider the work of the Spirit in creating habitable spaces for people through Dea Jenkins BLK Halos, an artistic installation for artistic resistance and liturgical performance in a black-walled room with textile creations. Then, perhaps the greatest example of creating a “habitable space” came when the Spirit “overshadowed” Mary. Chelle Stearns explores Oliver Messiaen’s Vingt Regards sur l’Enfant-Jesus. She reflects on how Messiaen captures the work of the Spirit in Mary, with her full assent, and how the Spirit may similarly work in the church.

Julian Davis Reid describes the Spirit’s prompting during a performance to enfold “Holy, Holy, Holy” into “Give Me Jesus” as a lead in to exploring the Spirit’s convicting work. Amy Whisenand Krall also draws on a musical performance. “Hope for Resolution” serves as the basis to reflect on maintaining the unity of the Spirit. Having sung this piece, it joins an ancient chant and an African praise song into a seamless garment of sound. Finally, in this section on music, Shannon Steed Sigler considers Charles Wesley’s “resignation,” and both the spiritual and creative freedom that followed.

Lastly, the concluding two essays turn to film and landscape architecture. David W. McNutt and Wesley Vander Lugt consider Terence Malik’s The Tree of Life. They focus on its insights into the comforting and disrupting work of the Spirit. Jennifer A. Craft and W. David O. Taylor describe the renovation of Laity Lodge’s landscape, using native species requiring less maintenance. They see this as an illustration of the Spirit’s particularizing work. No one size fits all!

Part of the impact of a book like this is to be able to experience the artistic works. The book renders some of these and links to others. The chapter on maintaining the unity of the Spirit was powerful because I’ve sung “Hope for Resolution” and knew its significance. The person and work of the Holy Spirit is not known merely through cognition or affect. The Spirit acts upon our physical world. People know Him through their senses and in their bodies. So, this collaboration of theologians and artists helps open up the reader to that deeper knowing.

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Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher for review.

Review: Matthew

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Cover image of "Matthew" by Darrell L Bock and Timothy D. Sprankle

Matthew

Matthew (Kerux Commentaries), Darrell L. Bock and Timothy D. Sprankle. Kregel Ministry (ISBN: 9780825458255) 2025.

Summary: A Kerux Commentary combining exegesis of Matthew with communication insights for teaching and preaching.

The Kerux Commentary series is designed for pastors and teachers. First, an accomplished exegetical scholar unpacks the literary structure and theme of a text, offering a brief expository overview, verse-by verse discussion of the text, and a theological summary of the text. Then, a skilled preacher focuses in on a “Big Idea” from the exegesis, offers contemporary connections and creative ideas for presentation. This part concludes with a succinct preaching outline and discussion questions. In the case of this volume, New Testament scholar Darrell L. Bock (Dallas Theological Seminary) combines with Timothy D. Sprankle, senior pastor at Leesburg Grace Brethren Church in Northern Indiana.

Like most commentaries, this offers an introductory section. Reflecting its conservative character, it favors Matthean authorship, written for an audience of churches near Judea, and a date prior to the fall of the temple. It notes the prophetic claims of Matthew, which the commentary traces, suggesting an apologetic purpose. Unlike proposals that Matthew draws on Mark and is the source for Luke, this commentary accepts the more traditional proposal of Matthew’s dependence on Mark, a shared source with Luke (some form of the hypothetical Q?) and unique materials to which Matthew had access.

A few highlights from this lengthy commentary. The birth narrative (2:1-23) recognizes God’s providential leading and protection. The temptation passage (4:1-11) highlights Israel’s wilderness history and Jesus qualification to reverse Adam’s sin. Within the Sermon on the Mount, the discussion of 5:21-48 highlights the love that goes beyond the law, that righteousness is about more than being right. The commentary on 8:1-9:38 highlights the three triads of miracles and how they reveal his authority and call for a choice.

Then, as opposition intensifies, Jesus turns to parables (13:1-58). Specifically, disciples are distinguished as those who listen, discovering the power and preciousness of the kingdom. However, opposition continues to intensify as Jesus extends God’s compassion in 15:1-16:12. Then, I appreciated particularly the contrast drawn in the commentary on 19:3-30 between the humility of children and the obstacles wealth create to knowing God.

Finally, we turn to the Passion narratives in Matthew. I loved how the authors connected the healing of the blind in Jericho with the Triumphal entry (20:29-21:11). The commentary shows the intensifying opposition, how Jesus met every challenge. The commentary on the Olivet Discourse (24:1-25:46) both reflects and an awareness of Matthew’s original audience, and the contemporary need to be watchful and about the work of the kingdom. The trial and death narratives focus on Jesus innocence and messianic identity.

The exegetical commentary emphasizes readability over extended discussions of minutiae with lots of Greek text and footnotes. Yet, the engagement with scholarship shows in references to other scholars and the concluding bibliography. Also, sidebars on other Jewish sources relating to a particular text offer good background. However, I found the preaching material less helpful. Although it suggests helpful directions in contemporary application of the text, I thought it could become a substitute for prayer for reflection and exegesis of one’s congregation or audience. Nevertheless, the suggestions of visual media and other creative actions helpful in breaking out of preaching ruts.

In sum, I think many pastors will find this a solid and accessible resource for study, preaching and teaching.

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Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher for review.

The Weekly Wrap: March 29-April 4

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The Weekly Wrap: March 29-April 4

First Authors, Now Reviewers!

Last week, I wrote about Mia Ballard’s book being pulled by Hachette when it was found to rely heavily on AI. This week, a story broke about New York Times free lance reviewer Alex Preston’s use of AI in a review of Jean-Baptiste Andrea’s Watching Over Her. It turns out, the AI inserted passages into the review from another review of the book in The Guardian. A Times reader recognized the similarity of the reviews and contacted them.

When they confronted Preston, he admitted his use of AI in the review and acknowledged the serious mistake he’d made. The New York Times has ended its relationship with Preston and linked his review to that of Christobel Kent in the Guardian. You can read more about this incident in this Guardian story.

Preston has written other articles and books and insists he has not used AI-generated text. But like any case of plagiarism, one discovered incidents taints the whole. I expect he will have a hard time publishing anything going forward.

However, as a reviewer, I understand the temptation. Sometimes I’m tired or have to fit reviews into other obligations. I suspect professional reviewers struggle with the same temptations, with paychecks at stake. AI can speed up the writing process. Preston’s failure was not properly citing his source. Instead, he represented the AI text as his own.

I do not use AI in writing, apart from a “readability” aid integrated into WordPress software. But the content comes from my interaction with the books I’m reviewing. Afterall, readers can seek AI reviews of books if they want. But I assume those who come to this page do so to learn what I thought about the book in question. If I can’t do that, it’s time to hang it up.

Five Articles Worth Reading

Tracy Kidder died last week. In “What Tracy Kidder Stood For,” Cullen Murphy reviews his career and the impact of his writing.

July 4, 2026 is the 250th birthday of the United States. Beverly Gage, in This Land is Your Land takes us on a road trip to 300 historical sites, a kind of road trip through our history. Reviewer Jennifer Szalai considers Gage’s effort in “Road-Tripping With a Historian Through America’s Past.”

So, I find almost anything Alan Jacobs writes worth a read. And so it was with “How Not to Save the Planet.” Instead of abstractions like “saving the planet,” he argues “If you learn to love a pond or a creek or a valley, then what you love others will love—and will perhaps also come to find some element of their own local environment dear to them, dear enough to conserve and protect.”

Did you know that April is National Poetry Month. Therefore, it’s a good time to do something about that floating resolution to read more poetry! And the folks at JSTOR have compiled the grand-daddy of resources in “A Reader’s Guide to Poetry for National Poetry Month.”

Finally, I discovered a real treat in “Hear Aldous Huxley Read Brave New World. Plus 84 Classic Radio Dramas from CBS Radio Workshop (1956–57).” Not only can you hear Huxley read his famous work, the Open Culture article points you to where you can hear 84 more productions from the CBS Radio Workshop, back when you could hear quality productions around the family radio before TV supplanted it.

Quote of the Week

Jane Goodall, who died just last year, was born April 3, 1934, She made an observation that both seems simple, and perhps one of the hardest things for human beings to do consistently:

“Change happens by listening and then starting a dialogue with the people who are doing something you don’t believe is right.”

Miscellaneous Musings

I don’t know if you knew this but we lived for nine years in the eastern suburbs of Cleveland–and loved our time there. Recently, heard of a new store opening up in a cool part of Cleveland Heights, The Checkered Bookshelf. There are a number of interesting bookstores in the city. Two on my book crawl bucket list are Loganberry Books and Zubal Books. Remember when I visited John King’s in Detroit? Zubal Books looks and sounds like that.

I’ll be reviewing George Saunders’ Vigil next week. It was an engrossing read but I found the ending both disappointing and puzzling. I wonder if any other readers of this book had that reaction?

Literary Hub ran an article that had me written all over it: “What Are the Routines of So-Called Super-Readers?” I wasn’t interviewed for the article, but the five things they found that super-readers have in common ring true. So who else out there are super-readers?

Next Week’s Reviews

Monday: Darrell L. Bock and Timothy D. Sprankle, Matthew

Tuesday: W. David O. Taylor and Daniel Train, eds., Naming the Spirit

Wednesday: Stuart M. Kaminsky, Not Quite Kosher

Thursday: George Saunders, Vigil

Friday: Amanda Hope Haley, Stones Still Speak

So, that’s The Weekly Wrap  for March 29-April 4.

Find past editions of The Weekly Wrap under The Weekly Wrap heading on this page.

Review: On Fire for God

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Cover image of "On Fire For God" by Josiah Hesse

On Fire for God

On Fire for God, Josiah Hesse. Pantheon (ISBN: 9780553387292) 2026.

Summary: A memoir of growing up in a troubled family amidst a toxic mix of conservative Christianity, and escaping it.

Josiah Hesse is an accomplished freelance journalist with several books to his credit as well as regular contributions to The Guardian, Esquire, Newsweek, and other publications. He is also part of the growing body of “exvangelicals.” This book combines memoir with a sociological study of the impact of both religion and economic forces on a working class town in Iowa.

Josiah was born in 1982 in Mason City, Iowa, the town that served as inspiration for The Music Man. His father had converted through a Jesus Movement era ministry that combined lots of bible study and a Late Great Planet Earth expectation of Christ’s imminent return. Henry wanted to be ready, but also to enjoy the pleasures of marriage before that. He met Janet, a quiet and studious woman at a Bible study in her home. They married young. When Josiah came along, the marriage was already in trouble. Henry was abusing alcohol and drugs. Janet was probably suffering clinical depression. But ministers encouraged them to “claim victory in Jesus” by making generous donations and serving actively in the church. They hid the troubles behind fake smiles. But Henry’s business was struggling. The home was a mess. Meanwhile, ministry leaders lived in lavish homes.

Josiah was in the middle of it all. That included imbibing toxic teaching, frequent altar calls that only called into question his salvation, and as he grew older, struggles with doubts that couldn’t be voiced and his sexuality. He was taught to be ashamed of his body and its urges. There was also a shadow life of substance abuse and the exploits most teens engage in at some time or another. By then, his parents are divorced. He struggled in school, finally dropping out.

Finally, he escapes to Denver, discovering a talent for writing that he turns into a career. Through counseling, running, and in his case, cannabis, he comes to a healthy acceptance of himself. While not an atheist, he left Christianity and the troubling ideas of the God he grew up with.

To write the memoir, he returns home to interview family and friends. He also studies the history and current economic conditions of a town in which big agriculture and Walmart replaced family farms and local stores. He learns that religious shysters long preceded his generation. And he understands both the religious and economic sources of adherence to the ideas of the Right.

It was hard to read this book. The Jesus Movement played an important role in my spiritual journey. While experiencing some of the emotionalism described in the book, occasionally manipulative, I was blessed with wise mentors of integrity, including within my family. Raised in a home with a love of learning, I discovered that I could love God as well. And I spent a career helping college students connect those two loves in their own lives.

So it was hard to read this book, though good. I knew how different and good the walk of faith could be and grieved that this was not Josiah’s experience. It was also hard because I know of too many other instances of predatory ministry figures who love sex, money, and power more than Jesus. I know of those who played on the latent fears of congregants, rather than inviting them into the “perfect love which casts out fear” that flows out in love to neighbor and stranger alike.

I grieve for a generation that lost its way. The generation of Josiah’s parents. My generation. So many of us really experienced how Jesus changes everything. We envisioned working this out in loving and serving communities, living out the just love of Jesus in society. But Josiah describes ministry leaders who did not feed the sheep but fleeced them. And sadly, what many of the sheep learned was to pursue, not the kingdom of God, but personal prosperity.

Given all this, and all that Hesse experienced, it is striking that he writes, “Though I cannot, at this time embrace Christianity as part of my identity, I can place humble curiosity about it at the center of my being. And hope that one day I can view spirituality beyond the lens of fear and shame, and perhaps connect with something divine.” He also can acknowledge the great treasures Christianity has given the world. It says something about him that he can forgive and realize his connection to his people and their land. As much as I grieve what he experienced (and many others), I’m encouraged with how far he’s come, and long that in his “humble curiosity” he will one day discover a better story.

_______________________

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher for review.

Review: Spiritual Warfare and Deliverance

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Cover image of "Spiritual Warfare and Deliverance" by Harold Ristau

Spiritual Warfare and Deliverance

Spiritual Warfare and Deliverance, Harold Ristau. Baker Books (ISBN: 9781540904393) 2025.

Summary: A biblical and pastoral account of how demons oppress and possess and how ministers may exorcise them.

I suspect that there are some who would deny the reality of the spiritual forces that are the subject of this book. And likewise, there are many who read the accounts of encounters with demons in the New Testament and attribute these to mental illness or other brain disorders. What most will not say plainly is that this infers that Jesus was mistaken as well. For that reason alone, I am willing to give Harold Ristau a hearing. Ristau has been a missionary, military chaplain, and pastor as well as holding a doctoral degree.

He recognizes the skepticism concerning demons and himself argues caution that we go to neither the skeptical extreme or the one that finds a demon lurking behind every bush. However, he has encountered this personal form of evil not only in mission settings but increasingly in the West. He attributes this to openness to the occult and mindfulness and meditative practices as well as drug use.

After addressing the issue of skepticism, he narrates a situation of delivering a person from a demon including the time-tested steps he took, the attempts of the demon to attack him psychologically, the deliverance of the person in the name of Jesus, and aftercare, which included psychological counseling as well as Christian discipleship in a local church community.

From here Ristau offers instruction on what demons are and how from scripture and church history to deal with demons. He identifies kinds and symptoms of demonism. For example, demonism can manifest in physical or spiritual possession, secret knowledge, supernatural power, and strange or beastly behavior, among other things. He addresses assessment, including ruling out psychological conditions. Rather than racing in with an “I’ve got to do something right now” mentality, he argues that this is the work for ordained pastors in the context and with the support of the church in prayer.

He then walks through “How to Exorcise a Demon” including a rite of exorcism. However a discerning mind bathed in scripture and attentive in prayer, and watchful for demonic devices is vital. He further elaborates good aftercare practices including self-care for the minister.

Finally, Ristau concludes with an exposition of Ephesians 6:10-20, addressing spiritual warfare, and the armor God has provided us. His purpose, as he concludes is that we be both prepared and fear not.

What I appreciate about Ristau’s approach is that he is frank, clear and practical, rather than sensationalistic. The cases he offers underscore both his argument for the reality of the demonic, and the practice of deliverance. He roots spiritual authority in Christ and his Word without swagger. He believes this is just part of good pastoral work while emphasizing careful preparation and not acting alone.

If Ristau’s assessment concerning rising demonic oppression and possession is accurate (and I’m inclined to believe he is right), this is crucial instruction. And, when practiced well, it offers the hope of flourishing under Christ rather than languishing under the Enemy for many.

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Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher for review.

The Month in Reviews: March 2026

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Cover image of "The Glory of the Ascension" by W. Ross Hastings

The Month in Reviews: March 2026

Introduction

Twenty-one reviews in March. The reviews are blooming along with our tulips and daffodils. Among these are books on various parts of scripture: The Septuagint (the Greek Old Testament), John and the synoptics, Ephesians, and Revelation as well as a wonderful introduction to the Bible and an introduction to how the church fathers read scripture. Also, I read books on the Christian life, including the writings of Edith Stein and a data driven discussion of faith in the workplace.

I keep working through a couple series, reading another Terry Pratchett and William Kent Krueger book. I also enjoyed Jazz Trash, the second book by a talented local author as well as finished my second Jane Austen novel. Then, on the non-fiction front, I read a book on fact-checking. academic spies in WWII, the Gemini space program, and a history of religious activity at the University of Wisconsin, underscoring its nonsectarian vision. Finally, I delighted in the graphic interpretation of some well-loved nature poems.

The Reviews

Reading the Bible with Ten Church Father, Gerald Bray. Baker Books (ISBN: 9781540905147) 2026. How the generations after the apostles interpreted and preached the Bible. Review

Book and Dagger, Elyse Graham. Ecco Books (ISBN: 9780063280847) 2025. The contribution of scholars and librarians to undercover and intelligence operations during World War II. Review

The Chicago Guide to Fact-Checking, Second Edition, Brooke Borel. The University of Chicago Press (ISBN: 9780226817897) 2023. The why, what, and how of fact-checking, with guidance on sourcing and record-keeping. Review

Rereading Revelation, Greg Carey. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. (ISBN: 9780802878120) 2025. A thematic exploration of Revelation’s dangerous call and encouragement to resist idolatrous imperial Rome. Review

Mansfield Park, Jane Austen. Penguin Classics (ISBN: 9780141439808) 2003 (first published in 1814). Fanny Price moves from poverty to live with rich cousins in Mansfield Park, maturing amid their whirl of social relationships. Review

The Authority of the Septuagint, Gregory R. Lanier and William A. Ross, eds. IVP Academic (ISBN: 9781514009727) 2025. A multi-perspectival approach to the question of the authority of the Greek Old Testament, or Septuagint. Review

Annihilation (Southern Reach Trilogy, 1), Jeff Vandermeer. Farrar. Straus and Giroux Originals (ISBN: 9780374104092) 2014. A team of four women investigate a mysterious uninhabited coastal area from which some previous expeditions ended badly. Review

The Fourth Synoptic Gospel, Mark Goodacre. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. (ISBN: 9780802875136) 2025. Maintains that John knew of and used Matthew, Mark, and Luke in composing his gospel. Review

The Vision of Ephesians, N.T. Wright. Zondervan Academic (ISBN: 9780310172505) 2025. Ephesians as a vision of the church between creation and consummation as God’s small working model of new creation. Review

The Culture of Interpretation, Roger Lundin. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. (ISBN: 9780802806369) 1993. A study of contemporary American culture, how we’ve come to this point, and its implications for Christians. Review

Gather, Darkness!, Fritz Leiber. Open Road Integrated Media (ISBN: 9781497616622) 2014 (first published in 1943). Techno-priests of the Great God control a post-nuclear world, opposed by the Witchcraft, with Brother Jarles torn between. Review

Gemini, Jeffrey Kluger. St. Martin’s Press (ISBN: 9781250323019) 2025. A history of the Gemini program, that prepared the way for the Apollo program in which Americans first landed on the moon. Review

Jazz Trash, Michael S. Moore. Crumpled-paper.com (ISBN: 9798985928945) 2025. Andrew, who cannot play the guitar, is chosen to play guitar for a group that explores the boundaries between jazz and noise. Review

The Glory of the Ascension, W. Ross Hastings. IVP Academic (ISBN: 9781514010617) 2025. Sets forth this neglected doctrine that celebrates a completed atonement and the exalted glory of the Son. Review

Working for Better, Elaine Howard Ecklund and Denise Daniels. IVP Academic (ISBN: 9781514011263) 2025. A data-driven approach to understanding the challenges of fostering faith at work identifying five key tensions. Review

The Well That Washes What It Shows, Jonathan A. Linebaugh. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. (ISBN: 9780802885487) 2025. An invitation introducing the Bible as both revealing human sin and God’s cleansing work in Christ. Review

Sulphur Springs (Cork O’Connor, 16), William Kent Krueger. Atria Books (ISBN: 9781501147432) 2018. A garbled message from Rainy’s son Peter about trouble sends Cork and Rainy to Arizona to help, threatening their own lives. Review

Sourcery (Discworld, 5; Rincewind, 3), Terry Pratchett. HarperCollins (ISBN 9780063373709) 2024 (First published in 1988). A sourcerer takes over the Unseen University and wreaks havoc on Discworld, and only Rincewind will try to stop him. Review

The University of Wisconsin and The Ideal of Nonsectarianism, Daniel G. Hummel. Upper House (ISBN: 9798987660508) 2022. A history of organized religious activity at the University of Wisconsin. Review

Nature Poems to See By, Julian Peters. Plough Publishing (ISBN: 9781636081748) 2026. An anthology of great nature poems, organized by seasons and graphically interpreted. Review

A Sure Way (Plough Spiritual Guides), Edith Stein, edited by Carolyn Brand, Introduction by Zena Hitz. Plough Publishing (ISBN: 9781636081762) 2026. Essential writings on knowing God, the cross, the resurrection, women’s spirituality, and the way of the cross. Review

Best Book of the Month

The best theological writing does not only inform. It also transforms. So, this month’s best book exemplifies that quality. Ross Hastings The Glory of the Ascension not only sets forth an oft-neglected Christian doctrine. It also left me pausing to savor rich spiritual truth. Then I offered that up in worship.

Quote of the Month

But we not only need to worship. We also need a faith able to sustain us when the world seems to be going up in flames. Edith Stein, who was martyred at Auschwitz, brings worship and resilient faith together in this statement found in the new Plough Spiritual Guide tiutled A Sure Way:

“The world is in flames. The conflagration can also reach our house. But high above all flames towers the cross. They cannot consume it. It is the path from earth to heaven. It will lift the one who embraces it in faith, love, and hope into the bosom of the Trinity” (p. 123).

What I’m Reading

Another writer who challenges me to go deeper in Christ is Dallas Willard. For example, his Knowing Christ Today makes the case that the knowledge of Christ is real knowledge, corresponding to our reality. Then, Amanda Hope Haley’s Stones Still Speak is a delightful introduction to biblical archaeology. Rather than proving the Bible, she sees it as illuminating the context of scripture. While I’ve read spiritual writers on the practice of solitude, Robert J. Coplan explores the psychology of solitude. Specifically, he digs into what makes it good, and not so good.

George Saunders’ Vigil is a recent novel. In it, a woman who has died returns to comfort the dying in their last moments. However, her current charge, a dying oil tycoon, is different. Despite a host of deceased from his past confronting him, he refuses to face his complicity in promoting lies denying climate change. Not only is this encounter different, but it changes Jill Blaine as well. Finally, I am savoring another of Stuart Kaminsky’s Abe Lieberman mysteries. In Not Quite Kosher, he and his Irish partner not only try to solve two murder cases, one involving the death of a fellow officer. Abe also tries to be understanding grandfather for his grandson’s bar mitzvah while supporting his partner’s wedding plans.

So, what was your best read of March? I love to hear what others are enjoying as we take this reading journey together!

The Month in Reviews is my monthly review summary going back to 2014! It’s a great way to browse what I’ve reviewed. The search box on this blog also works well if you are looking for a review of a particular book. Thanks for stopping by. and feel free to share this with others!

Review: A Sure Way

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Cover image of "A Sure Way" by Edith Stein

A Sure Way

A Sure Way (Plough Spiritual Guides), Edith Stein, edited by Carolyn Brand, Introduction by Zena Hitz. Plough Publishing (ISBN: 9781636081762) 2026.

Summary: Essential writings on knowing God, the cross, the resurrection, women’s spirituality, and the way of the cross.

Edith Stein was born to an upper-middle-class Jewish family in Breslau, Prussia (now Wroclaw, Poland). An early feminist, Stein had a conversion experience while pursuing post-doctoral work with Edmund Husserl in 1916. After reading a biography of Saint Teresa of Avila, she sought baptism into the Catholic Church. Also, she sought to enter the monastic life but spiritual advisors encouraged her that she could best serve God in an academic career. However, the rise of Nazism led to the loss of her academic position. In 1935, she professed monastic vows at a Carmelite Monastery in Cologne. Later, as persecution against Jews intensified, she fled to the Netherlands. She was arrested on August 2, 1942, dying in the gas chambers of Auschwitz on August 9. Having adopted the name of Teresa Benedicta, She was beatified as a martyr in 1987 and canonized in 1998.

This Plough Spiritual Guide introduces a new generation to a collection of her essential writings, edited by Carolyn Brand. Zena Hitz introduces the collection, after a biography by Carolyn Brand. She contends that Stein addressed the sickness of her generation, affirming the “sure way” of following Christ on the way of the cross.

The rest of the book consists of Stein’s writings grouped under five headings. This is not a lightweight devotional but the substantive writing of a devote academic, a trained philosopher.

First, she addresses “Ways to Know God.” She allows for people to encounter God through nature, scripture, faith, and direct experience. Her passion is not for mere knowledge or faith but to encounter the living God, to see God. Yet often this involves the way of the cross, stillness and hiddenness. The final piece in this section offers her thoughts on the possibility of Christian philosophy.

The second subheading is “At the Foot of the Cross.” This includes a couple poetic reflections and her thoughts on the meaning of the cross. Specifically, she focuses on what it means for believers to take up the cross and die with Christ and to live by faith. Then the section concludes with two pieces on the dark night of the soul, paradoxically, an invitation for deeper communion with God.

“Light Breaks In” includes Stein’s writing on the two great holidays of Easter and Christmastide. “The Mystery of Sacrifice” traces the arc of Jesus Life from his Incarnation to the Sacrifice on the cross and ponders what it means to go the whole way with Jesus. She concludes with “The Summons of Christmas” which is to oneness with God, with others in God, and to extend that love to the world.

Stein did not cease to be a feminist upon conversion. However, “The Soul of Women” reveals relatively traditional distinctions between men whose essence is revealed in “action, work, and objective achievements. By contrast, women’s “deepest yearning is to achieve a loving union.” She argues in the final essay in this section that women will contribute most to the nation’s health in all areas of national life as they live into wholeness with God. I don’t think all women will agree with Stein’s gender distinctions and that these contribute to their flourishing.

Finally, “A World in Flames” reflects Stein’s response to the rise of Nazism. The first piece is noteworthy: her appeal to Pope Pius XI to advocate for the Jewish people. She wrote this when relieved from her academic position. The pope never responded. The title essay, “The World in Flames” once again expresses her confidence in the way of the cross. She writes:

“The world is in flames. The conflagration can also reach our house. But high above all flames towers the cross. They cannot consume it. It is the path from earth to heaven. It will lift the one who embraces it in faith, love, and hope into the bosom of the Trinity” (p. 123).

This was the faith Stein held onto when the flames indeed engulfed her house. Instead of fleeing Europe, she remained. These selections explained the mindset that met the horror of the holocaust, even Auschwitz by faith. This book is nothing more nor less than her call to discipleship, one worthy of standing alongside Bonhoeffer’s, The Call of Discipleship.

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Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher for review.

Review: Nature Poems to See By

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Cover image of "Nature Poems to See By" by Julian Peters

Nature Poems to See By

Nature Poems to See By, Julian Peters. Plough Publishing (ISBN: 9781636081748) 2026.

Summary: An anthology of great nature poems, organized by seasons and graphically interpreted.

Graphic works have rendered original stories in striking fashion for a new generation. And they have brought to life old stories in fresh ways. But can this work in the world of poetry, with its rich, dense, and often metaphorical use of language? This work, by comic artist Julian Peters, answered this question for me with a resounding yes. This is his second foray into this territory, having published Poems to See By in 2020.

As is obvious from these titles, Peters believes poetry is a means by which we see the world. He also believes poetry is a means by which we see ourselves and even greater realities than those we see with only our eyes. And he employs graphic art to aid us in the seeing.

This anthology collects twenty-four poems, including many familiar ones around the theme of nature. It opens with Langston Hughes poem, “Daybreak in Alabama, evoking both the red clay landscape of Alabama, and “the dream” of races reconciled. It closes with Gerard Manley Hopkins “God’s Grandeur,” concluding with a striking image of the final lines: 

Because the Holy Ghost over the bent
     World broods with warm breast and with ah! bright wings.

There are six poems for each of the seasons of the year.

“Summer” includes an imaginative rendering of the rich imagery in William Blake’s “And Did Those Feet in Ancient Time” and an apocalyptic rendering of Gwendolyn Brook’s haunting “Truth.”

“Autumn” opens in a portrayal of Sylvia Plath’s proliferating “Mushrooms” and includes Emily Dickinson’s “There Came a Wind Like a Bugle” which eerily evoked reminders of a recent windstorm. Peters vividly renders “The Voice of God” which eludes all human pretensions to come in the small and the ordinary.

“Winter” includes a striking black and white rendering of Robert Frost’s “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening.” Then he follows by a monochrome rendering of Stevie Smith’s “Not Waving but Drowning,” with the concluding lines “I was much too far out all my life/And not waving but drowning.”

Finally, we come to “Spring,” opening with e. e. cummings “I Thank You God for Most This Amazing.” Also, this collection includes an op art portrayal of William Wordsworth’s “I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud.” I felt like I was back in the Sixties!

But some might object to the substitution of the artist’s imagination for one’s own engagement with the text. To address this, the text of each poem follows its graphic rendering. However, I personally found the graphic images encouraged me to pause and ponder the phrasing of each poem that a textual reading alone might gloss over. I found myself wondering why the artist chose particular ways of rendering. This both illuminated and highlighted the ways I was “seeing” the poem.

In conclusion, Julian Peters has created a wonderful doorway into poetry for those new to this world. Likewise, his renderings help us “see” old favorites in a new way. This was a delight to the eye and the eyes of my heart.

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Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher for review.

The Weekly Wrap: March 22-28

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The Weekly Wrap: March 22-28

The Latest AI Brouhaha

Last week, Hachette pulled Mia Ballard’s Shy Girl after The New York Times provided evidence that the book text relied heavily on AI. In an email to the Times, Ms. Ballard denied using AI in writing but conceded that a friend, who helped edit the self-published version of the book, used AI.

What is interesting about this, according to a story in Publisher’s Weekly, is that readers and reviewers in online discussion widely criticized the book for AI use, describing it as “flat.” Given that online chatter is one of the reasons publishers pick up self-published books, a PW editor in a blog post suggested it stretches credulity that no one at Hachette was aware of the criticism. (On a related note, the author’s explanation also stretches credulity and is a blatant denial of authorial responsibility.)

According to PW, the episode exposes the muddiness of major publishers on AI use. Only PRH requires “original work,” but even this is slippery. Hachette only pulled the book after public pressure. Did the book fool editors? Or did editors not look closely enough to notice?

I personally would like to see a “no AI generated text” policy on the part of publishers. Alternatively, if a work uses text generated by AI, disclose it publicly. I would handle deception on these matters as a version of plagiarism. Authors tempted to use AI as a shortcut without disclosure should realize that such a shortcut may be career-ending.

All of this reflects the conundrum of the rapid imposition of AI by high-tech companies. So several articles this week explore different aspects of AI use.

Five Articles Worth Reading

Geoff Shullenberger argues in “Critique of ‘Agentic’ Reason” that delegating agency to AI is a bad idea, particularly as this makes war on introspection.

Peter Wayne Moe was a deeply depressed English professor, due to the heavy reliance of his students on AI. Then he enrolled in a course to learn to play guitar, an experience leading him to ban screens in his classes, requiring students to read print books and PDFs, and write with pens in college-ruled notebooks. “Hollow Body” is a marvelous article describing his process.

Pope Leo XIV has urged priests not to use AI to write homilies. Jim Morin, in “A Disembodied Gospel,” extends this argument to the sacraments (no bots as confessors!) and other pastoral work. I’d love to see other Protestant church leaders address this!

Former kickboxer and social media influencer Andrew Tate says books are too slow. Joel Halldorf defends slow and deep reading, arguing “Andrew Tate Doesn’t Get the Point of Books.” I love what he says when he writes, “So I try to see reading not as a plate of vegetables, but as a glass of wine. Just as we don’t sip an earthy red in order to work our way through the stocks in a cellar, we shouldn’t read just to diminish the pile of books on our desk. There is pleasure in an attentive sip.”

I think I found my baseball book for this year after reading “Like Baseball? In This Book, You Can Play in Your Kitchen.” It is a review of Robert Coover’s 1968 classic, The Universal Baseball Association, once again in print. It was written before the rise of fantasy baseball leagues and eerily anticipates them.

Quote of the Week

Flannery O’Connor was born on March 25, 1925. Her bluntness is not limited to her stories. She commented:

“The truth does not change according to our ability to stomach it.”

Miscellaneous Musings

Ever get a treasured book soaked in a rainstorm or drop it into a swimming pool? Open Culture posted a great video from Syracuse University Libraries on “How to Rescue a Wet, Damaged Book: A Handy Visual Primer.” The key thing is, don’t let the book dry out before following this process!

I’ve been reading The Joy of Solitude by Robert J. Coplan. It’s a fascinating exploration of the fine line between being alone and loneliness. One factoid: students preferred inflicting electric shocks on themselves to sitting alone with their thoughts for fifteen minutes.

I’ve had Richard Hays’ The Moral Vision of the New Testament on my shelves, unread, for years, nearly 30 as it turns out. Eerdmans just sent me New Testament Ethics, a collection of essays on Hays’ book on its 30th anniversary of publication. So. both books are now in my review queue! That’s one way to get me to read those unread books!

Next Week’s Reviews

Monday: Julian Peters, Nature Poems to See By

Tuesday: Edith Stein, A Sure Way

Wednesday: The Month in Reviews: March 2025

Thursday: Harold Ristau, Spiritual Warfare and Deliverance

Friday: Josiah Hesse, On Fire for God

So, that’s The Weekly Wrap  for March 22-28.

Find past editions of The Weekly Wrap under The Weekly Wrap heading on this page.

Review: The University of Wisconsin and The Ideal of Nonsectarianism

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The University of Wisconsin and The Ideal of Nonsectarianism

The University of Wisconsin and The Ideal of Nonsectarianism, Daniel G. Hummel. Upper House (ISBN: 9798987660508) 2022.

Summary: A history of organized religious activity at the University of Wisconsin.

I worked in collegiate ministry at a flagship public land grant university for over two decades. So it was with great interest that I received this essay that offers a concise history of organized religious activity through the years and how a public university like the University of Wisconsin (now University of Wisconsin-Madison) related to religion as a state-supported university.

Daniel G. Hummel observes that this was a point of concern from its beginnings in 1848. On one hand, churches in the state feared it would be a “godless, secular university.” However, others feared that religious ideas, or even a particular church would be privileged. Rather, the university intentionally described itself from its beginnings in 1848 as a “nonsectarian” university. While not favoring any church or religious faith, the exploration of religious ideas was welcomed both in the classroom as well as in the varied expressions of organized religion represented in the students, faculty, and administration. In the early year, the course of study for fourth year students included a course in “Christian evidences,” as was true at many colleges.

John Bascom, the sixth president of the university was theologically trained and wrote on religion, philosophy, and science. His baccalaureate addresses spoke often of the importance of religious faith. During his presidency the three prominent university buildings at the top of what would be known as Bascom Hill all had chapels for regular chapel services.

Hummel traces this nonsectarian ideal, and the changes it underwent, throughout the University’s history. He describes a shift under Bascom’s successor, Thomas C. Chamberlin, elevating the role of science, focusing on Common Sense nonsectarianism. Though not hostile to religion, religion was de-emphasized in the university curriculum. This was also during the period where the University expanded from its liberal arts core to embrace the land grant ideal of agricultural and mechanical arts.

However, the period from 1890 to 1940 witnessed a resurgence of Protestant Social Gospel nonsectarianism. Economist Richard T. Ely focused on labor, finance, and economic reforms as an outworking of his Episcopal faith. This period also marked the adoption of the university hymn, “Light for All” and annual Religious Emphasis Weeks, sponsored by the YMCA, bringing Social Gospel leaders like John R. Mott and Harry Emerson Fosdick to campus.

The period from 1940-1975 brought notable changes. The 1950’s would mark the highwater mark of religious identification and involvement of students. Increasingly, nonsectarian meant Jewish, protestant, and Catholic. Yet participation in historic protestant churches and organizations waned. In 1954, the YMCA closed its building. Civil rights and the Vietnam war brought an increasing focus on activism. Muslim students formed an association in 1960.

Hummel describes the period from 1970 to 2023 as “the decline of nonsectarianism. The explosion of parachurch ministries eclipsed denominational ministries. In more recent years, nonsectarianism gave way to diversity and inclusion efforts. Universities moved to an approach of viewpoint neutrality.

What stands out in this history is that the nonsectarian ideal provided the context for a vibrant and changing religious life through the university’s history, reflecting societal changes. Students, faculty, and university leaders saw their academic work and religious faith walking hand in hand throughout this period, whether it be John Bascom, Richard T. Ely, or John W. Alexander, a geography professor who organized a faculty prayer group, and later became the president of InterVarsity. The fact that the University of Wisconsin was a public university did not translate into a “godless, secular” university. Rather it fostered a lively context where students and faculty and religious ministers explored ultimate questions together.

Hummel’s essay makes for a great case study of religious history at public universities. Thus, it offers a good template for similar histories at other comparable campuses. In addition, Hummel’s account provides an account of different ministry models and the factors evident in their waxing and waning. In conclusion, this is a very useful resource for campus ministers as well as student life leaders who have a shared interest in flourishing of students. Free electronic copies are available at the Steve and Laurel Brown Foundation.

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Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author for review.